PHOTO AND QUOTE GALLERY BELOW
Alanis Morissette, Charlotte Cardin, Jessie Reyez, LU KALA, and Jully Black were the live-in-person honourees at the very first edition of the Billboard Canada Women in Music Awards, held Saturday, Sept. 7, at the DPRTMNT club in downtown Toronto.
Eleven artists and music industry executives were celebrated, as follows:
- Icon Award – Alanis Morissette
- Woman of the Year – Charlotte Cardin
- Trailblazer Award – Jessie Reyez
- Rising Star Award – LU KALA
- Impact award – Jully Black
- Group of the Year – The Beaches
- Breakthrough Artist of the Year – Allison Russell
- Executive of the Year – Kristen Burke, President, Warner Music Canada
- Manager of the Year – Laurie Lee Boutet, Artist Manager, Wednesday Management
- Manager of the Year – Laurie Chouinard, Artist Manager and Business Affairs, Cult Nation
- Global Manager of the Year – Sonali Singh, CEO, Ripple Effect Studios
Jully Black received the Impact Award for uplifting Black and Indigenous voices, and performed a heartbreaking version of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song.” Accepting the Rising Star Award, LU KALA said, “I want to thank all the women in music that have been rising for me: posting about me, playing my music on the radio, giving me grants, that have literally been empowering me.” Jessie Reyez earned the Trailblazer Award for calling out injustice in the music industry. Charlotte Cardin was named Billboard Canada’s Woman of the Year, and played a soaring version of “Next to You.” Cardin also presented Morissette with the Icon Award. “The definition of ‘icon’ is a representative symbol that is worthy of veneration of great respect and reverence, so that’s cool!,” she said. Haviah Mighty co-hosted the event, and she and her sister Omega closed the evening with a mini-set of Haviah’s “Trendsetter,” their collaboration “Zoom Zoom, and then Haviah’s new single “Double The Fun.”
SOCAN is also pleased and proud to congratulate our own Alex Golden, Manager, Creative Operations & Programming, and Charlie Wall-Andrews, Executive Director, SOCAN Foundation, for being recognized in the parallel Billboard Canada Women in the Music Industry Spotlight list. The list honours professionals who drive the industry forward behind the scenes, addressing imbalances by highlighting the contributions of women and gender-diverse people.
“I’m incredibly proud of Alex and Charlie,” said SOCAN CEO Jennifer Brown. “It’s a big deal to be recognized in this way in our industry. Their dedication and contributions are a testament to the talent and hard work that drive our support of SOCAN members, and highlight the importance of diversity and inclusion in shaping the future of the music business.”
SOCAN was on the red carpet for the event, so please see the photos and quotes below.
PHOTO GALLERY WITH QUOTES
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- Jessie Reyez: “It’s really significant to get this sort of acknowledgement at home. And it’s encouraging, to make sure that I keep going, that I don’t lose focus about what’s important, and keep contributing wherever I can.”
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- Charlotte Cardin: “The industry is still very male-dominated. So, to be able to have one night that celebrate women’s talent — and not just talent that’s onstage, but also the women who work behind the scenes — is so important. I wouldn’t be here without my manager Laurie [Chouinard], who’s also taking an award home tonight. That feels extra exciting.”
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- Tia Wood: “My inner child can’t believe it. I grew up with a lack of representation, so to be invited to spaces like this is just surreal for me. As Indigenous people, we weren’t allowed to express ourselves, at one point, we weren’t allowed to celebrate ourselves. So, it means a lot to be invited into these spaces to do just that.”
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- Jessia: “It’s about time that us women all come together, [where] we’re all uplifting each other, we’re all celebrating us… For all of us just to be able to look at what we’ve done, see the different levels of artists, and be, like, this is what you can do with your life, this is what you can do with your career. It’s really, really inspiring.”
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- Anjulie: “Women in music have inspired me the most in my career. From The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill to Jagged Little Pill by Alanis, those albums were so pivotal in helping me realize my voice as a songwriter, as an artist – learning that you can be so raw, and vulnerable, and confessional in your songwriting. Without women in music, I wouldn’t be here.”
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- Sacha: “I think it’s awesome. Women have made major contributions in the music industry forever. To have a night where we’re actually getting recognized and honoured is overdue. I’m really excited about it, and how it’s going to progress in the future.”
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- Jully Black
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- Alanis Morissette